Senegal is currently grappling with widespread power cuts, primarily attributed to a combination of equipment failures, logistical hurdles in fuel supply, and surging demand. Pape Toby Gaye, the general director of Senelec, apologized to consumers and indicated a gradual return to normal operations by the end of the week. A significant contributing factor is a malfunction at Karpowership's floating power plant, specifically a booster pump in its storage and regasification system, which has taken approximately 200 MW offline. A replacement pump has arrived in Dakar and its installation is expected to restore this capacity by Thursday, September 24.
Adding to the crisis, one of the two turbines at the West African Energy plant in Cap des Biches is also offline. This facility, which operates on diesel while awaiting sufficient natural gas, faces additional challenges. Logistical constraints, partly linked to global tensions, prevent adequate settling time for fuel, leading to impurities quickly clogging filters and necessitating more frequent maintenance shutdowns. The boroscope used for maintenance on the turbine was damaged, delaying its inspection and restart. Senelec also highlighted financial strains, with the budgeted oil price of $60 per barrel now closer to $100, and the cost of liquefied natural gas for the FSRU at Cap des Biches rising from $13 to $29.
Electricity demand has significantly exceeded forecasts, exacerbating the supply issues. Senelec anticipated a peak demand of about 1,250 MW, but actual demand has reached approximately 1,400 MW. This 150 MW difference, or about 12% above the initial forecast, leaves the system vulnerable to technical problems. Mouhamed Habib Aïdara, Secretary-General of the Single Electricity Workers’ Union (Sutelec), also cited delays in domestic gas production, particularly from the Yakaar-Teranga project, as a major factor. This has forced plants to rely on fuel oil, creating technical, logistical, and financial constraints, and making the system susceptible to fuel supply interruptions.
